Liquid display and dispensing apparatus



April 15, 1930. F, G. STANFORD ET AL LIQUID DISPLAY AND DISPENSING APPARATUS' Filed Jan. 31,

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 @NITE-:D wsrarss ETNT OFFlC-E FORREST G'. STANFORD, OF LOS ANGELES, AND L. GLAZE, OF `SOUTH PASA-l DENA, CALIFORNIA; SAID GLAZE ASSGNOl- OF HIS ENTIRE RIGHT TO GEORGE E.

HYLAND, OE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA LIQUID DISPLAY AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filed January `31, 1928. Serial No. 250,745.

This invention relates to an apparatus for displaying and dispensing liquids and part-icularly pertains to a liquid reservoir for use in conjunction with a display fountain of the character disclosed in our copending a pplication for Letters Patent filed December 3, 1927, Serial No. 237,415. A

An object of the invention is to provide a reservoir for liquid to be dispensed, which s adapted to be employed in combination With a display container or fountain, and Which is so constructed and arranged as to atiord econoiny of space and to facilitate temperature control of the liquid to be dispensed and replenishing of the supply thereof.

Another object is to provide a liquid dispensing and display fountain in which the liquid vvill be delivered from a main reservoir, locatable at any convenient point, to a display container and thence be delivered at least in part to an auxiliary serving or dispensing reservoir remote from the main reservoir, in such manner as to maintain an available supply of the liquid in the auxiliary reservoir from Which the liquid may be linaln ly dispensed from time to time.

Another object is to provide a dispensing` apparatus of the above character in which the delivery of the liquid from the main reser voir to the auxiliary reservoir may be effected by suction, and in Which circulation and constant agitation of the liquid will be maintained Without passing the liquid through a pump or employing mechanical agitators.

VVit-h the foregoing objects in vieW, together With such other obj ect-s and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the features and in the combination, construction and arrangementvof parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figjl is a vieu7 of the apparatus as seen in side elevation partly in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in cross sec-- tion as seen on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan vievv in horizontal section taken on the line 3*?, of Fig. 2.

Referring to the dravvings more specifically, A indicates generally a main reservoir, B

a secondary or auxiliary reservoir and C a display container. The main reservoir A is here shown as embodying a receptacle d for containing the liquid to be dispensed and which, Where the apparat-us is employed for dispensing beverages, is arranged in a cooler of suitable character, here shovvn as compris ing anice containing box or tub 5. This main reservoir may be located at any convenient point on a plane lower than that occupied by the auxiliary reservoir B, sothat liquidmay flow from the auxiliary reservoir by gravity to the main reservoir as will hereinafter be described. The auxiliary reservoir embodies a housing 6 of any suitable construction enclosing a chamber 7 and including a suitable top Wall 8 extending over the chamber 'Z' and forming a closure therefor. Arranged Within the chamber 7 and preferably spaced above the bottom thereof is a basin 9 constituting the auxiliary reservoir per se from the bottom of which leads a discharge conduit 10 connecting vvith a valve 11 through which the liquid is to be dispensed. The display con tainer C comprises an enclosed chamber preferably embodying globe 12 formed of glass and fitted With a downwardly extending neck 13 which projects through the top vvall 8 of the housing G and opens into the basin 9 belouT the upper margin of the latter; the globe 12 being here shown as supported on the Wall 8 and seated on an annular cushion 1d encir. cling the neel: 13 and carriedon the margin of an opening formed in the Wall 8 through which the neclr 13 extends.

Leading from the receptacle 4 is a pipe 15` the upper end portion of which communicates With `a stationary tube 16 leading into the chamber 7 and through the bottom Wall of the basin 9; the, upper portion of the tube 16 extending vertically from the bottom Wall of the basin into the neck 13 centrally thereof and terminating on a plane contiguous the juncture of the neck 13 vvi'ththe globe 12. The pipe 15 and tube 16 constitute a conduit through whichV liquid is delivered from the receptacle 4 to the display container and vice versa. Y

Loosely guided on the tube 16 Within the basin 9 is a freely movable i'loat valve 17 A icio carrying a cushion 18 on its upper face adapted to seat on the lower margin of the neck 13 to normally close communication between the display container and the basin. The tloat valve 17 may be formed at least in part of cork or other suitable buoyant material; it being rovided with a central opening 19, throug which the tube 16 extends. As a means for closing the opening 19, when the float valve seats on the margin of the neck 13, a resilient sleeve 20 is fixed on the tube 16 and so arranged thereon that its lower edge will be aligned with the edge of the neck 13 to form a resilient seat around the tube. EX- ending over the open upper end of the tube lGis a series of varies 21 here shown as supported on an annulus 22 seating on th tube 16. These vanes serve as silencers and act to minimize noise of discharge of the liquid from the globe as will be hereinafter described. v

A pipe 23 leads from the chamber 7 to the rece tacle 4 through which overiow from the asin is delivered to the receptacle by `gfravity.

Leading from the globe 12, is a conduit 24 connecting with a suitable intermittent suction apparatus, such as is shown in our copending application for United States patent above referred to, and whereby partial vacuum may be intermittently produced in the globe 12, alternated with the delivery of atmosphere to the interior of the globe lthrough said conduit 24.

In the operation of the invention, the basin 9 is primed or initially supplied with liquid to such level as to cause the float valve 17 to rise to its seated position on the lower margins of the neck 13 and sleeve 20 and thereby close communication between the display container and basin. On a partial vacuum then being formed within the globe 12 liquid will be inducted from the receptacle t through the pipe 15 and tube 16 and will be discharged rom the upper end of the latter into the globe 12; the valve 17 being closed preventlng liquid from'being drawn into the globe from the basin 9. The liquid in the basin together with the fioat valve thus serves as a seal for the display container. Then the globe has been thus at least partly filled, the vacuum orsuction is brokenand atmosphere admitted to the globe 12 through the pipe 24, whereupon the column of liquid in the pipe 15 and tube 16 together with a portion of liquid in the globe 12 will gravitate back into the receptacle 4. The weight or the column of liquid in the column the globe 12 bearing on the float valve 17 will then force the latter downwardly, so that a quantity of the liquid will flow from the globe into the basin and will at least occasionally lill the latter to overflowing; such liquid as may overflow from the basin passing into the chamber 7 andbeing redelivered to the centainer 4t through the drain pipe 23. On thus emptying or partly emptying the globe 12, a partial vacuum is again created in the latter and again broken, which alternate operations are repeated at predetermined intervals so as to elfect alternate delivery of the liquid to the globe 12 and its discharge therefrom into the basin.

lVhen it is desired to dispense the liquid, it is drawn from the basin through the discharge valve 11; the liquid thus drawn oit being replenished from the main r rvoir through the display container as berore de scribed.

The vaines 21 serve during discharge of the liquid from the globe 12 to break up eddies and thereby act to silence or minimize the sound' incident to the exhaust of the liquid from the container.

The invention is particularly suitable for usein the display and dispensingl of bevel'- ages particularly fruit juices. By the provision of the main reservoir A and the second ary or auxiliary reservoir B with their intercommunications, the latter with the display container may be, constructed of comparatively small size, so that when placed on a counter will occupy small space, while 'the main reservoir may be placed beneath the counter, where more space is available and accordingly may be of con'iparatively large capacity and may be replenished as occasion requires without disturbing the dispensing receptacle. This arrangement also facilitates refrigeration of the liquid, particularly where crushed ice is e1nployed,-as the rcfrigerant may be renewed around the receptacle in the main reservoir without displaing the dispensing reservoir. By providingv the display container and effecting delivery of the liquid from the main reservoir to Jthe dispensingor secondary reservoir in the manner described, the liquid will be maintained in lan agitated condition by reason oi" its circulation and will also be attractively displayed in the globe 12.

lVhile we Ahave shown and described a specilic embodiment of our invention, we do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction and arrangeinent shown but may employ such changes and modiiications af; come within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a main reservoir, an auxiliary reservoir from which liquid may be dispensed, a communicating conduit between said reservoirs, and means maintaining intermittent circulation of liquid to and from said reservoirs back and 'lorth through said communieating conduit, by intermittent suction induced in said auxiliary reservoir.

2. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a second reservoir les from which liquid may be dspensed, a display container, means for intermittently delivering liquid from said main reservoir to said container by intermittent suction in duced in said display container and from said container to said second reservoir thence back to the main reservoir.

In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a second reservoir :trom which liquid may be dispensed, a display container, a pipe leading from said main reservoir and communicating with said oontainer through which liquid flows to said container lon suction being induced in the latter, a communication between said container and said second reservoir through which liquid may iow to said reservoir, and a valve `operable to close said communication while suction is induced in said container.

4l. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a second reservoir from which liquid may be dispensed, a display container having a downwardly opening communication with said second reservoir, a valve for closing said communication, means tor delivering liquid trom said main reservoir to said container 0n a partial vacuum being created in the latter, said valve being operable on breaking the vacuum in the container to open and permit liquid to flow from the container to said second reservoir and means whereby liquid may be delivered back to the main reservoir from said second reservoir.

In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a display container, means for delivering liquid from said reservoir to said container on a partial vacuum being created in the latter, a basin :from which liquid may be dispensed, a downwardly extending neck on said container opening to said basin, a 'float valve operable to normally close the lower end of said neck, a chamber to receive overflow from said basin, and a pipe leading from said chamber to the main reservoir.

6. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a basin remote from the reservoir of a lesser capacity than the reservoir and from which liquid may be dispensed, an enclosed display container located above said basin and having an outlet opening downwardly into said basin, a conduit leading from said container through which air may be alternately drawn from and delivered to said container', a tube extending through said basin and projecting through the container out-let with its upper end opening to the container7 a pipe leading from said reservoir and connecting with said tube, buoyant means for closing the container outlet around said tube supported in liquid in said basin and adapted to open under the weight of a column of liquid in said container when air is admitted to the latter to permit liquid to flow from said container into said basin, and means for directing overflow liquid from said basin back to said reservoir.

7. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, the combination with a reservoir, a display container arranged above said reservoir, a conduit extending upwardly into said container and leading from said reservoir through which liquid may be delivered back and fort-h alternately between said reservoir and container; of vanes operable to break up eddies in liquid flowing into the upper end of said conduit.

8. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a main reservoir, a second reservoir, a container arranged above said second reservoir having a downwardly opening Outlet, a tube extending vertically through said outlet and opening into the container, a pipe leading from said main reservoir and connecting with said tube, through which liquid may be delivered to said container on suction being induced in said container, and means operable to close said outlet around said tube while liquid is being delivered to the container and operable to open said outlet under the action of weight of' liquid in said container on termination of suction in the latter t0 delivered liquid from the container to said second reservoir.

9. In a liquid dispensing and display apparatus, a display container having a downwardly opening outlet, a stationary tube eX* tending vertically through said outlet and opening into said container, a basin arranged beneath said outlet, a float valve adapted to seat on the margin of said outlet under the urge of liquid in said basin having an opening through which said tube extends, and means on said tube for closing said opening when the valve is in its seated position.

In testimony whereof, we have ailixed our signatures.

FORREST G. STANFORD. HERBERT L. GLAZE. 

